Pietersen, Flintoff fit for decider

LONDON (Reuters) - England's Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff will be fit for Friday's decisive fifth one-day international against West Indies in St Lucia.

"Scans and x-rays have cleared Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen of major damage. They'll join the England squad in St.Lucia tonight," an England cricket board spokesman said on Monday.

Pietersen suffered a back spasm during the nine-wicket victory in Sunday's rain-affected fourth match, which tied up the series at 2-2, while Flintoff injured his thumb.

All-rounder Flintoff had an ultra-sound scan on his thumb, which he injured when trying to take a hard caught-and-bowled chance.

Captain Andrew Strauss played down Pietersen's remarks in a newspaper interview last week that he was at the "end of his tether" and ready to go home.

"KP knows it's an England tour and we all stick at it together," Strauss said. "As I said, he has been nothing but supportive on this tour and very professional with the way he has gone about his business.

"It's not worth dwelling on his comments too much and now we move to St Lucia. It's over, I had a chat with him about it and we move on from there."

After a disappointing test series defeat, Strauss said Friday's final one-day international was a chance to raise morale with an Ashes series looming against Australia.

"Friday is an opportunity to go home with some silverware which would be very satisfying for the lads and give us some momentum going into the summer," he said.

"We need to get rid of that Jekyll and Hyde nature and back to back wins would be a fitting end to the winter."

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